• by Wayne Friedman , March 14, 2007

Rainbow Media's VOD channel, Sportskool, a how-to channel devoted to sports, has inked its first major integrated-marketing deal with Jeep's new Patriot model. Sportskool is available to more than 23 million homes.

As part of the agreement, Patriot will be incorporated into the channels' Action Sportskool original programming block--sports learning shows on skateboarding, snowboarding, BMX biking and skiing. Lessons are taught by Bode Miller for skiing, Chad Kagy for BMX and Zach Leech and Travis Rice for snowboarding, among others.

Jeep Patriot will also get a brand mention at the top of the programming block, a 15-second Jeep spot on the special start-up menu for the channel and a number of "lifestyle facts" aired during each lesson. In addition, a promotion will run on the Jeep Patriot's Web site.

The carmaker will get added mileage from four short skateboarding films hosted by Mike V, a skateboarding pro and teacher. Each is one minute in length, and will run for four months starting this March. In one film, Mike V is in the front seat of his Jeep Patriot plugging in his iPod to the mp3 jack, while discussing the importance of music while skateboarding.